Fall Term 2001 (Sections 001 and 002)
Professor Samuel Pearson

This course surveys the social, economic, political, and constitutional development of the United States from European discovery and colonization to 1877. It is a "survey" course that examines the American past from a variety of perspectives in order to encourage student thinking about both the history of this nation and the nature of history as an academic discipline. Classes meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Section 001 meets from 8:00 to 8:50 a.m. in PB 3302. Section 002 meets from 9:00 to 9:50 in PB3313.

The primary textbook is Out of Many by John Mack Faragher et al. This is a narrative history of the United States to 1877. It is supplemented by a reader, America Firsthand by Robert D. Marcus and David Burner. Both books are available in textbook rental. Students with access to internet may find helpful review materials supplementing the textbook at the web site http://www.prenhall.com/faragher. There is a link to this site from my web page at http://www.siue.edu/~spearso.

Lectures will be general in scope. They will be arranged chronologically and will complement, clarify and explicate materials included in the textbook and reader. Students are responsible both for assigned readings and for classroom lectures. While the primary objective of the course is to add to your understanding of the history of this nation and its people, I also expect you to gain an understanding of how historians work and of some of the major historiographical issues that divide historians as they study the history of America to the mid-nineteenth century. The documents in the reader complement the narrative text, and you will find these documents useful as you think about major themes developed in the textbook and in class. The written assignments based on the reader will enable you to try your own hand with being a historian, i.e., with analyzing and evaluating a variety of materials addressing a single topic.

Students are expected to complete assigned readings, to submit the required two short papers, and to attend regularly and participate in class. Grades will be based on the two papers (15% each) and three examinations (23.3% each). Absences from class in excess of three will lower a student's final grade by 1% per absence. The examinations will cover material presented in the classroom as well as assigned readings. They will include both essay and multiple-choice questions, and students will be provided with a list of essay topics from which examination questions will be taken prior to each test. The short papers will be your reflections on certain assignments from the reader in the light of what you have learned about the topics addressed from text and lectures. Specific assignments and a format for these papers is provided at the end of the syllabus. Your papers should be thoughtfully prepared and meet exacting writing standards.

Students who have questions are always encouraged to ask. I want to be as helpful as possible, but I am a historian, not a mind reader. If you do not ask, I will not know your question. I welcome talks with students after class or at other times that are mutually convenient. My office is in PB 0216, my campus telephone extension is 3570, and my e-mail address is spearso@siue.edu. My office hours are 10:00 to 10:30 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and by appointment.

August 20
Getting Acquainted; explaining course requirements

August 22
America: Land and People
Out of Many, ch. 1

August 24
America on the Eve of "Discovery"
America Firsthand, 1-5

August 27
Europe on the Eve of Discovery
OM, ch. 2

August 29
When Worlds Collide

August 31
Spanish, French, and English Expansion into America

September 3
Labor Day; no class meeting

September 5
European Colonies in North America
OM, ch. 3

September 7
European Colonies in North America, II
AF, 6-10

September 10
European Colonies in North America, III
OM, ch. 4

September 12
Slavery and the Atlantic Economy
AF, 12, 13

September 14
Slavery and the Atlantic Economy, II

September 17
Cultures of Colonial America
OM, ch. 5

September 19
Cultures of Colonial America, II
AF, 14, 15

September 21
FIRST EXAMINATION

September 24
English Hegemony in North America
OM, ch. 6

September 26
Background of Revolution
AF, 16, 17

September 28
From Resistance to Rebellion

October 1
Revolution
OM, ch. 7

October 3
States as Sovereign Entities
AF, 18-20

October 5
Creation of a National Constitution
FIRST PAPER DUE

October 8
Washington Presidency
OM, ch. 8

October 10
Politics and Culture of the New Nation
AF, 22

October 12
Politics and Culture of the New Nation, II

October 15
Federalists and Republicans
OM, ch. 9

October 17
The Revolution of 1800
AF, 25, 26

October 19
Imperial Rivalry and the War of 1812

October 22
Jacksonian Democracy
OM, ch. 10

October 24
Jacksonian Democracy, II
AF, 27

October 26
SECOND EXAMINATION

October 29
Divergence of Northern and Southern Economies and Cultures
OM, chs. 11, 12

October 31
Sectionalism, II
AF, 31-35

November 2
Labor and Economy

November 5
Urbanization and Immigration
OM, ch. 13

November 7
Social Reform
AF, 36, 37

November 9
Abolitionism and Feminism

November 12
Exploring the West
OM, ch. 14

November 14
Politics and Expansion

November 16
California and Gold

November 19-25
Thanksgiving Holiday

November 26
The Compromise of 1850
OM, ch. 15

November 28
Kansas Nebraska Act

November 30
Collapse of Compromise and Confederate Secession
SECOND PAPER DUE

December 3
The Civil War
OM, ch. 16, 17

December 5
The Civil War, II
AF, 38-42

December 7
The Reconstruction Amendments

December 11
FINAL EXAMINATION Section 001, 8:00 9:40

December 12
FINAL EXAMINATION Section 002, 8:00 9:40

The European Native American Encounter
base your paper on a reading of selections 2, 4, and 7 of American Firsthand

Colonial Labor Systems Slavery and Indentured Servitude
base your paper on a reading of selections 12 and 13

The Boston Massacre
base your paper on a reading of selections 16 and 17

Paper II, Due November 30

Winning Texas for America and Slavery
base your paper on a reading of selections 23 and 24

Slave Insurrection
base your paper on a reading of selections 31 and 32

Reconstruction
base your paper on a reading of selections 43 and 44

Your papers should be written carefully and thoughtfully with due attention to the subject matter, style, spelling, and punctuation. I expect you to read the assigned selections in America Firsthand and related materials in Out of Many. Note that the reader is designed to provide you, with respect to each topic, a variety of source materials that might be of use to you or any student of history in trying to understand that topic. Read and outline the assigned selection and then write a short paper reflecting on the issue(s) raised. Your personal views are welcome, but your views must indicate that you have read the assigned selections and reflected upon them. Each of your papers should be no less than three and no more than five double-spaced and typewritten pages. Papers cannot be accepted after those submitted on the due date have been returned, but students with a legitimate excuse for not meeting the deadline will be assigned an alternative topic. Further information regarding the preparation of papers is available at my web site.